Cost

Cost per action marketing may be a smart way to capture leads from online ads, but it’s a much stronger strategy when you have robust lead verification and closing processes working in your favor. Unfortunately, building internal teams to oversee these kinds of tasks may be burdensome, time-intensive, and expensive. However, a reliable lead source can defray some of these costs. Here’s how a regular lead generation source may be pivotal to your company’s CPA strategy.

Lead Generation Sources Offer Verified Leads

Sure, with CPA marketing, you’ll experience a lot less lead fraud than you would with pay-per-click advertisements. But the leads you do get still won’t be verified by human agents. It’s difficult to know why a lead decides to fill out a form—or how close they are to purchasing—until you actually speak to this potential customer directly and learn the details of their situation.

Online advertising may offer lower overhead than other marketing channels, at least on the surface. However, there are some hidden costs behind those initial fees that typically are not calculated into their expense. Leads acquired from CPA campaigns must be contacted, verified and scored for their likelihood to convert. And in the home remodeling or construction business, where customers are making high-dollar investments, they must often be wooed with several touches from your marketing team. All of this factors into your eventual cost of acquisition.

If you are willing to invest the time and money to score and nurture leads internally, CPA campaigns may be an ideal source of potential leads. However, this method is not cost-effective for every business. From the context of your economies of scale, it doesn’t make sense to train teams of marketers to nurture leads when you could essentially outsource this work to trained professionals.

CPA Lead Generation Is Only As Strong as Your Landing Page

One of the major obstacles to a successful CPA marketing campaign is that it relies on the strength of your landing page and form. Lead generation form building is essentially an art form—it takes a great deal of attention to detail and testing, along with a dash of intuitive UI design, to get it right.

Forms can be lengthy, especially if you offer several different services, such as a kitchen and bath remodeler might. The simpler a lead gen form is, the more successful it is likely to be with visitors, particularly for mobile users. Mobile input is also subject to errors and typos, which makes the process much more cumbersome for a key segment of users. Considering that mobile now holds over 50% of the market share for internet users (vs. about 44% for desktop), losing out on that market could be devastating.

Here again, a steady supply of reliable leads can bolster conversion rates when CPA forms fail. Obviously, if you are engaged in CPA campaigns, you should work towards refining landing pages and forms to capture more leads on a diverse range of browser platforms. However, lead generation professionals, who have years of experience refining landing pages for increased conversion, can help fill in the gaps here.

Time Is Money When It Comes to Lead Conversion

We probably don’t have to tell you that leads have a short shelf life. The average lead is much more likely to convert if they receive an instant response. In fact, connecting with a lead within an hour after initial contact makes that lead seven times more likely to convert.

Lead conversion also takes finesse. Leads may need to be contacted several times throughout the sales process in order to close a sale. Ideally, your team should have access to a thorough CRM database and automation tools that can set up alerts every time a lead takes a potential action, such as revisiting your website. This level of detail can ensure that you aren’t contacting leads without context—a jarring experience for any client.

This again calls for robust and potentially expensive marketing and sales teams, which is why many businesses choose to outsource lead management actions like these.

Can You Trust Lead Generation Services?

In theory, the lead generation model follows a sound business logic. In practice, many lead outsourcing services have proved themselves otherwise, delivering cold, dead leads or sending the same leads to multiple businesses, hence flooding the market.

However, these kinds of shoddy services can be avoided by doing a little bit of research. Obviously, you should always review the company’s reputation and weigh their cost-per-lead before deciding to engage a lead service provider. You’ll also want to clarify as to how many different companies various leads are sent, since this can certainly impact the success of your campaigns.

Another thing to consider is the lead source’s area of expertise. For instance, at Modernize, while we do provide leads for all sorts of remodeling trades and industries, our focus has typically been in the solar, roofing, windows and HVAC segments. Therefore, we’re intimately familiar with the customer sales process for these types of projects and can help clients that contact us as they work through their decision. And that may result in significant cost savings overall. In other words, not all lead generation services are created equally.

Ready to put your lead generation process into overdrive? Contact us today for more information about Modernize leads.

“Sorry to Bother You” writer-director Boots Riley revealed that, because Tessa Thompson’s hair was bleached and dyed in his film, Disney had to buy an expensive wig for her scene reshoots in “Thor: Ragnarok.”Allure

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

Students perform less well in end-of-term exams if they are allowed access to an electronic device, such as a phone or tablet, for non-academic purposes in lectures, a new study.K-12 Education News — ScienceDaily

Multicolor Philips Hue bulbs are awesome but they’re just so expensive. Standard A19 multicolor bulbs from Philips Hue cost about $ 50. Fifty dollars! If you’re looking for a much less expensive option, check out the Maxcio WiFi Multicolored Smart Light Bulb. It supports app control like any other smart light bulb out there, and it also supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. All that for $ 13!

Remote Group Control – – – Control your lights from anywhere with your tablet or smartphone using the free Smarttlife app. All light bulbs controlled in one App.

Multi colored & Scenes Mode – – – The brightness and color of light can be adjusted, various scene modes of light are available for party, date…Create a group, control more than one bulb at the same time!

If there is one meal of the day that’s talked about more than any other, it’s breakfast. Given that it’s the first thing you eat in the morning, what you have on your plate can often determine how your day will go. Only have time for a cup of coffee? Prepare for a hectic day. Have the ability to…

As a contractor, finding the balance between profit and positive customer relationships can be tricky if you own your own business. Of course, you know that there are many factors that go into creating an estimate for a home improvement project, and that no two jobs are exactly the same. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to strike a balance by giving your clients an accurate and fair price without compromising on costs. Here are top dos and don’ts for creating estimates.

Be accurate

Estimates are essential tools for contractors, and not only because they outline the specific costs of a project for potential clients. These figures are also useful for your records because they help shape your future estimates. That’s why it’s so important to include everything that you view as a cost for each project. Some of the most common costs include:

Materials

Labor

Miscellaneous costs, including:

Building permits

Administrative and other fees

Rental vehicles and equipment

Methodically listing and pricing each individual cost—or stick estimating, as it’s called in the industry—is a common way of accurately estimating a building project. However, it can be very time consuming. Some contractors now prefer to estimate by using unit costs instead, while others make use of construction estimating software to make the job even quicker and easier.

If you opt for the high tech route, we recommend checking out a variety of programs and choosing one that suits you and your business best. If you need help choosing, other construction pros love the estimation software from companies such as BuilderTREND, Quick Bid, Sage Estimating, and Procore.

Whichever estimation method you choose, remember that accuracy is key. Ballpark figures aren’t good enough here; although it is just an estimate at the end of the day, your past projects will provide enough information to help you produce an estimate that is right on the money (so to speak!).

Be honest

If there is one thing more important to your customers than a good price, it’s honesty. This applies to the entire process of a building project, of course, but is particularly useful to remember when producing estimates for potential clients. If, for whatever reason, you decide to quote a price that is much lower than you actually anticipate, know that your decision will become evident sooner or later.

While under-estimating may secure a new lead and boost your clientele initially, rising costs throughout the course of the building project will soon become apparent. Once your client knows that the price you quoted isn’t exactly accurate, you will lose their trust and, most likely, their business. A positive client-professional relationship is more important than a high profit margin at the end of the day, because happy clients will be more likely to become repeat customers who give you great reviews and more business.

Be professional

In any business, professionalism goes a long way towards creating a brand that is both reputable and successful. For contractors, staying professional during the estimation process means:

Being honest – By following the recommendations outlined above, you will be able to provide your clients with an accurate and honest estimate for their home improvement work.

Keeping a paper trail – Always provide written estimates for your clients to look over (it’s also a good idea to keep a copy on file for future reference).

Communicating your costs – Arrange a meeting to discuss a breakdown of your estimate with your clients, taking time to answer any questions or concerns they may have about the itemized prices.

If, after costing a project for a potential client, you feel like you can’t commit to the expenditure, service, or time scale required, let them know as soon as possible. Part of your job as a contracting professional is making sure you are the right person for the job, so if it turns out you aren’t, your clients will understand and appreciate your honesty.

Producing an estimate for every construction job you undertake may sound time-consuming and monotonous, but the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. If your estimates are accurate, truthful, and clear, you will establish a positive relationship with new customers from the very beginning. This transparency will be appreciated by your leads and stand you and your business in good stead for a financially viable and successful future.

It’s no secret that Sprint and T-Mobile undercut their competition on price — Sprint once set up an entire fake store to make the point — and one of the constant differences between Verizon (or AT&T) and the two smaller carriers are the frequent deals. If you pay attention, you can often get Sprint or T-Mobile service for significantly less than the sticker price, and some of the best deals are reserved for special groups like members of the military, or seniors.

The latter group is who Sprint is targeting with a new 55+ plan, which offers two lines of unlimited data, talk, and text for $ 70, or $ 35 per line. Given that Verizon’s cheapest Unlimited plan starts at $ 75 per month for one line, and AT&T’s cheapest unlimited plan is $ 65, it’s hard to argue that this isn’t a good deal.

The $ 85.4 billion merger between AT&T and Time Warner could end up costing consumers hundreds of millions of dollars in jacked-up fees for cable TV and streaming video, an expert witness said. Carl Shapiro, an economics professor at the University of California at Berkeley, testified on Wednesday that if AT&T’s merger with Time Warner is…Media | New York Post

For Ken Daniels, determining how his son could overdose in a sober house meant learning about the corrupt side of the Florida rehabilitation industry, where laws can be exploited by people who actually have no interest in keeping recovering addicts clean.www.espn.com – NHL

http://www.acrx.org -As millions of Americans strive to deal with the economic downturn,loss of jobs,foreclosures,high cost of gas,and the rising cost of prescription drug cost. Charles Myrick ,the President of American Consultants Rx, announced the re-release of the American Consultants Rx community service project which consist of millions of free discount prescription cards being donated to thousands of not for profits,hospitals,schools,churches,etc. in an effort to assist the uninsured,under insured,and seniors deal with the high cost of prescription drugs.-American Consultants Rx -Pharmacy Discount Network News

WASHINGTON (AP) — China vowed on Friday to fight the U.S. “at any cost” after President Donald Trump proposed slapping an additional $ 100 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods in an escalating trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.Business Headlines

WOLFSBURG, Germany (Reuters) – Volkswagen’s core VW autos division said on Wednesday that EU requirements on curbing emissions and other climate-related demands would cause profitability to stall between 2018 and 2020.

These affordable watch brands are producing high quality timepieces that belie their cheap price points, proving that you don’t need to spend thousands to secure a high-quality watch that’s built to lastFashionBeans Full RSS Feed

While homeownership undeniably comes with plenty of expenses, there’s no reason to spend more than you have to. If your home seems more like a money pit than an asset, it could be that you are making one of these 12 common money mistakes.Bob Vila : Trusted Home Renovation & Repair Expert

Oh, you thought 2017’s fashion trends were crazy? Welcome to 2018; these crystal-embellished Nike Air Jordans cost $ 6,500. Artist Daniel Jacob is the master bedazzler behind these glittery kicks, dubbed the Danlife Golds. Each pair is made to order using more than 15,000 hand-set crystals, and takes up to four weeks to create. Before settling…Fashion | New York Post

When you choose countries for your next vacation, you’ll want to be looking at flights, and these can often swing your decision one way or another. There are so many different airlines to fly with, and they go to a multitude of different destinations. Comparing airfares is important because they will often change considerably depending on what day or time of year it is.

You want to know how much it’s going to cost to fly to a certain destination, as well as what the changes in price might be depending on season or airline. Everyone looking to book a vacation will have some kind of budget to work with, and it’s important to trey to stick with this as much as possible. So, let’s look at some of the most expensive countries in the world to fly to, so you can think about your budget carefully.

United Arab Emirates

It should come as no surprise to see Middle Eastern countries on this list. UAE is one of the fastest developing nations, full of lots of wealth and gentrification, and it has become an expensive nation to visit. It’s as ostentatious as it is grand, and much has been made of the over-the-top nature of many parts of the country, particularly Dubai. So, it’s not that much of a shock to discover that flights here are pretty expensive as well. Elevated airfares within the last couple of years have made this a pricey tourist destination.

Qatar

Qatar came to global attention a year or so ago when they won a controversial bid to host the 2022 FIFA Football World Cup Finals. Qatar is a very traditional nation, thought the capital Doha is growing and developing quickly. The country itself is not overly expensive to visit, as long as you go at the right time of year. However, airfares are actually very pricey, and they make this one of the more expensive countries to choose for a vacay, coming in at just shy of $ 54 per 100km.

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a really popular European destination, and it’s easy to see why. The land of windmills, tulips, and cycling is the perfect place for a vacation with family, friends, or on your own. Holland is the most popular province of the Netherlands, and certainly somewhere we would recommend. However, flights to the country are among the most expensive in the world, so be sure to factor that in. Luckily, once you arrive, they have a cheap and efficient public transport network to save costs.

Belgium

It might surprise you to know that Belgium is actually the most expensive nation in the world to fly to! You thought it was going to be somewhere in the Middle East, didn’t you? There is so much in Belgium for tourists to enjoy, from the food and drink to the architecture and geography. But, you might be concerned about the $ 54.63 per 100km airfares that make Belgium the world’s most expensive country to fly to.

These are the most expensive nations in the world to fly to so they might have to be crossed off the list if you can’t afford them. However, there might sometimes be alternatives, such as flying to a nearby country for much cheaper, and then either catching a connecting flight or making your way there through another mode of transport.

Why simply watch the 2018 Winter Olympic games on television when you can be there in person and feel feel the energy of the crowd?

The 2018 Winter Olympic Games kick off in Pyeongchang, South Korea on Feb. 9, 2017. Athletes from roughly 90 countries, as well as hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to descend on the region for the 17 days of intense competition in sports like ice hockey, skiing, figure skating and curling.

As with any popular event, you’ll need to start planning and booking your trip in advance for the best experiences and values. Booking site Fareness.com has already seen an uptick in searches to South Korea during October, indicating people are planning potential travel.

Whether you’re looking to splurge on a front-row experience to see your favorite sports or simply get by on a shoestring budget, MONEY scouted the options and priced out what it really costs to spend a week at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Sample Budget

$ 915: Average flight cost from the U.S. to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport

Tickets

Scoring tickets to the actual events is still possible, but prices can vary widely depending on what you want to attend and which seating section you opt for. For example, tickets for the Opening Ceremony start at just over $ 400, but a front-row seat is currently selling on Stubhub for as high as $ 5,946. Depending on which countries make it to the medal rounds, you may be able to score resale tickets cheaper closer to various events.

For U.S. residents, there are still plenty of event tickets left on the Games’ official vendor, CoSport/Jet Set Sports. For example, you can purchase a two-day package that includes ski jumping and figure skating for $ 480. But keep in mind that the medal rounds for popular sports command a high price. A ticket package for a men’s hockey playoff game and medal ceremony is going for about $ 1,739.

Flights

Flights from the U.S. to Seoul are averaging about $ 915 for the timeframe around the Olympics, according to airfare prediction app Hopper. And despite it being about 125 miles from the Olympic Stadium in Pyeongchang, Incheon International Airport is really your best bet to get to the Olympic Games on time, says Fareness founder and CEO Scott ‎Wainner.

Out of major U.S. cities, Fareness found that a seven-day trip from L.A. to Seoul was currently the cheapest at a mere $ 694 for those leaving Feb. 10 or 12, 2018. But flights from cities in the middle of the U.S. are usually higher—for example, Austin during roughly the same timeframe and for the same duration were about $ 1,080.

“Travelers should keep in mind that most flights are going to take over 12 hours so make sure that you book your hotels and transportation to account for time zone changes,” Wainner says.

Before booking your flight, check what time it’s set to land both in South Korea, as well as what time that would be in your home city. It could be a cheaper flight gets in at 3 a.m. your time. That’s an especially important consideration if you’re the type of traveler who doesn’t sleep well on flights. You may want to spend an extra night in Seoul to recoup and get acclimated before heading onto the Games.

Hotels

Book your 2018 Winter Olympics hotel as soon as possible, Wainner advises, noting that accommodations are limited and neighboring towns can be over an hour away by local transit.

If you’re planning to stay in Pyeongchang where the opening and closing ceremonies are taking place, the lowest rate available is $ 117 a night at the Oclaire Pension, according to Booking.com. If you’re willing to splurge, a night at the upscale Mamestar Pension—which includes an outdoor pool and free wi-fi—starts at $ 449. Some rooms even include spa bathtubs and kitchenettes.

Want to stay closer to the action? The hockey, figure skating and and speed skating events are taking place in Gangneung, about 13 miles east of Pyeongchang. The most budget friendly option in this town is at The Ocean Capsule Hotel, where a room for the night will set you back $ 269.

Getting Around

The easiest way to get from Seoul to the Olympic Games is via the newly expanded bullet train route, which reduces the travel time from 2.5 hours by car to about an hour by train. You can purchase a 7-day pass from around $ 200. That’s a good deal, considering a one-way ticket from Boston to New York during peak times can cost around $ 120.

Once you’re at the Olympic venues, you’ll be able to use spectator shuttle buses. Connecting the cities of Jinbu, Hoenggye and Gangneung, ticket holders may use spectator shuttles on the day of the event. The buses are scheduled to start running the day before the Opening Ceremony and operate through the last day of sporting events.

Meals

While you may end up grabbing a snack or a quick meal at one of the venues before or after an event, there are other dining options. Generally, meals at inexpensive restaurants are about $ 6, while a 3-course meal at a mid-range restaurant is about $ 18 per person, according to cost estimate site Numbeo. The Team USA friends and family guidebook recommends checking out the Gyo-Dong region (near Wonju University) in Gangneung, which is a quick cab ride from the Olympic Park. Here you’ll find small restaurants and coffee shops.

In Pyeongchang, there are several well-known restaurants worth checking out, according to MyBucketlistevents.com. The 30-year-old Paldo Myeon Ga restaurant offers meals for around $ 10, including broiled eels and spicy stir-fried chicken. The slightly more expensive Youngchun Garden is also recommended. Try their famous stewed chicken dish using traditional medicinal herbs for around $ 18.

Currency Exchange Rates

The South Korean currency is the won (pronounced wʌn). Currently a U.S. dollar is worth about 1,110 won, but the spending power of the dollar against the won has been on a steady decline over the past year. Expect that trend to continue into the 2018 Winter Olympics.

“Exchange your currency early at your local bank,” Wainner says. And make sure you do this in advance, as your local bank may have to special order won, which could take up to a week. If you wait and exchange your currency at the airport you could be paying an exchange fee, whereas many banks in the U.S. don’t charge their customers a fee for this service.

HSBC Holdings Plc Monday reported significantly higher pre-tax profit in its third quarter, mainly on the absence of prior year’s hefty loss on items as well as strong growth in revenues. Further, the company said it remains committed to achieving positive jaws for the full year. HSBC remains on track to achieve around $ 6 billion of annualised cost savings by the end of the year.RTT – Earnings

You can finally preorder the iPhone X, the most expensive smartphone in the world, but you may have a hard time getting one in time for Christmas. Apple must love the fact that iPhone X sold out within minutes around the world.

Some of its biggest rivals also must appreciate the iPhone’s success. One of them is Samsung, tasked with manufacturing the iPhone X display, which is the most expensive component of the new handset. The other party that should be thrilled to see people buying the iPhone is Google.

With the recent bipartisan efforts aimed at stabilizing the individual insurance market, we believed we were making progress on stabilizing access to health care coverage in communities throughout America. Until yesterday’s decision to stop funding Cost Sharing Reduction (CSR) subsidies, we were encouraged that we were on course to stabilize the market.

We are extremely disappointed to learn that the funding of the CSR subsidies will cease. This move will contribute to the destabilization of the market, and make millions of Americans concerned about their ability to afford health coverage that gives them access to care through the front door of the American health care system.

In the best interests of our members, patients and the communities we serve, we continue to believe policymakers must come together and make governing decisions that support increased access to high-quality, affordable care, and ensure coverage for more — not fewer people in this country. Only by giving more Americans the opportunity to live healthier lives will we be advancing health care in America.

Though Tesla remains the company to beat in the electric car market, the reality is that Elon Musk and co. haven’t truly encountered any real competition in the high-end EV space. That, however, will change once Porsche’s highly anticipated Mission E hits the streets. Originally introduced back in 2015, the Mission E is an ambitious project to say the least. According to the German automaker, the goal is to outfit the Mission E with 310 miles of range, and equally as impressive, Porsche boasts that the Mission E will be able to reach a charge of 80% in just 15 minutes. While it remains to see what the Mission E’s final specs are, we now know how much the car is going to cost — and suffice it to say, it’s not going to come cheap. Put simply, it’s going to be priced like a Porsche.

Apple announced the Apple Watch Series 3 during its blockbuster presentation today, and (surprise!) it’s the best wearable Apple’s ever made. The big upgrade is that the Series 3 comes with LTE connectivity, so you can make calls and stream music separate from your iPhone.

But that added convenience is going to cost you. To be exact, it’ll be an additional $ 10 a month on your cellular bill for as long as you want an internet-connected watch.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West allegedly hired a surrogate to carry their third child. The procedure known as “gestational surrogacy” involves in vitro fertilization, or IVF, with the eggs of the intended mother or those of an egg donor. The process is legally complicated, and can cost hopeful parents as much as $ 100,000.Page Six

Dear John: My wife and I live in a condo in Florida. My upstairs neighbor is renovating his apartment and is violating the condo rules by not hiring licensed contractors, plumbers, electricians, etc. So I was flooded three times and had to call my insurance company to make a claim. Now my insurance company is…Business | New York Post

Samsung just introduced the most expensive mass-market smartphone in the world, the Galaxy Note 8 that’s currently available for preorder. While Samsung and its partners are ready to throw in quite a few freebies to convince you to buy it during the preorder period, the phone’s unlocked price remains at $ 929.99 or more, which is…Tech | New York Post

In TIME’s cover story this week, senior writer Sean Gregory explores the growing business of kids’ sports — a $ 15.3 billion industry that has nearly doubled in the last 10 years. Between league fees, camps, equipment, training and travel, families are spending as much as 10% of their income on sports, according to survey research from Utah State University.

Sky-high costs are preventing some kids from participating. Overall sports participation rates have declined in the U.S. in recent years, and the trend is most evident among kids from lower-income families.

“Some parents just can’t pony up for it,” says Travis Dorsch, one of Utah State’s leading researchers on parental involvement in youth sports. “How many Michael Jordans and Michael Phelpses are out there who don’t have the opportunity?”

One of Utah State’s surveys conducted last year found that the average family spends $ 2,292 per year on sports. The respondents to that survey include families with children as young as 8 and who participate at all levels, from recreational to elite. The same 2016 survey found that the maximum spending among the respondents was close to $ 20,000, as some families invest in travel teams and personal trainers.

Not all sports are equally expensive. Soccer and basketball, for instance, don’t have as many equipment costs as, say, baseball or hockey. Here’s how six popular youth sports stack up according to Utah State’s survey sample:

Look, we’re not saying the Nest Cam is a bad home security camera. Quite the opposite — it’s awesome. But it’s also quite expensive even at its currently discounted price on Amazon. If you’re looking for a slightly more affordable option for a home camera that still delivers a good user experience, definitely check out the Zmodo EZCam 720p HD Wi-Fi Wireless Security Camera System. Amazon is selling 2-packs right now for less than half the price of a Nest Cam, making this a deal that might be too good to pass up.

Here’s what you need to know from the product page:

60 day return policy, 3-year warranty, and lifetime U.S.-based tech support. Get immediate help from the Zmodo app with 24/7 live chat.

Boeing will once again make its own airplane computers and electronics, bringing the work back inside the company nearly 15 years after it shuttered and outsourced its electronics unit.Latest financial news – CNNMoney.com

“Today, it’s more important to a couple to give their guests a fun and memorable experience, so couples are spending more money on the food served, entertainment, and other details their guests will interact with,” says WeddingWire Trend Expert Anne Chertoff.

Chertoff notes that some of those additional expenses are popping up in the form of photo booths, food stations, dessert buffets, food trucks, and welcome gifts. This could explain why the average spend per guest has gone up almost $ 100, from $ 145 per guest in 2007 to $ 240 per guest today.

Wanting to stand out costs couples money in other ways as well. “Couples are searching out unique venues for their wedding ceremony and reception. This is all attributed to the couple wanting a wedding that is personal to them and reflects their likes, personalities, and style,” Chertoff says.

“Fewer couples are choosing a house of worship, and are opting for industrial spaces, lofts, and barns—where they have to rent everything from tables and chairs, to china, flatware, and linens,” Chertoff continues.

Other things that are blowing up the budget and driving up the average cost of a wedding?

The average spend for an engagement ring has nearly doubled, from $ 2,600 to $ 5,000.

Almost two-thirds of couples are now taking engagement photos, up from just over one-third.

More than 30% of couples are hiring a wedding planner, compared with 11% a decade ago.

Four times as many couples are choosing to travel out of state for their bachelor or bachelorette party.

Of course, social media has had a huge impact on wedding planning—and therefore wedding costs.

“Brides and grooms have access to so much more wedding imagery from wedding sites, such as WeddingWire, and social media (Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook). Many of these outlets didn’t even exist 10 years ago,” Chertoff says.”And, thanks to the internet, it’s super easy to discover vendors [that can] turn those images into reality for their wedding day.”

There’s a piece of advice my mom gave me before my wedding ― long before I was engaged, even. I’ve passed the wisdom on to other friends who married both before and after me.

It goes like this: Before each big moment ― walking down the aisle, being introduced as a married couple for the first time, toasting the marriage during speeches ― take a mental picture in your head. Use your eyes to mimic the flash of a camera shutter. Blink, we’re doing our first dance. Blink, we’re feeding each other wedding cake.

My mom says she used this trick ― really an exercise in mindfulness, long before it became a buzzword ― at her own wedding over 30 years ago and remembers the day with great clarity. She recalls seeing my dad at the end of the aisle as she entered the synagogue with her mother, my father stepping on the glass as is custom at Jewish weddings while the guests yelled “Mazel Tov!” She remembers being introduced for the first time as Mr. and Mrs., cutting the cake and asking my dad not to smush it all over her face (he put a dollop on her cheek instead). She talks about taking portraits before the ceremony at the Bel Air Hotel and retreating there at the end of the night; my husband and I chose to do the same to capture a bit of their wedding magic on our own big day.

But it’s really her advice that brought the magic. Sure, the wedding was only seven months ago, but I remember it in vivid detail ― it didn’t pass by in a whoosh like other friends and colleagues described. The night goes by fast, but making a conscious effort to be in the moment helped me memorialize both the big and little moments that made the day so special: walking down the steps of our high school where my husband and I first met to snap some photos by our lockers. Seeing our reception space for the first time, taking in all the beauty and hard work that made it happen. Singing softly to each other as we did our first dance. Feeling immensely loved by all our family and friends who had counted down as eagerly to the wedding as we had; my mom actually recalls the same of her big day.

Below, I’ve shared photos of some of the treasured moments I took snapshots of in my head. But my takeaway is this: Don’t let the day pass you by. Do whatever you can to be present and in the moment ― even if it requires a few extra blinks here and there.

It feels like divine momentum that Earth Day and Fash Rev Day are only 24 hrs apart. A multitude of good can spring from even the most dire circumstances — so how can we best harness the energy of change?

By becoming it, Baby. As individuals, we can consciously decide what we allow into our space; we can vote with our $ , supporting what we value & want to see flourish; we can stand up for the beauty of both our planet & our very own; we can take charge of what is being produced because we demand what we desire. Take today as the bouncing-off place into a brighter present, and ask #WhoMadeMyClothes?

The future of fashion is in our hands (and hearts, hopefully). It’s beautiful to witness the change in culture that’s being created by conscious companies and individuals alike. Looking for organic materials? There’s a filter for that. Want vegan couture? There’s a badge for that. Love made in the USA? It’s right here for you. Fair-trade? Sustainable? Recycled? Artisan-crafted? All at your finger tips thanks to prescient people who know that sustainability in its manifold expressions is the currency of the future.

On Earth Day, a panel of fashionable movers & shakers hosted by Amanda Cole discussed the state of the fashion industry. “Only in fashion is the idea that you get rid of it after three uses,” says David Dietz, founder of Modavanti. This wastefulness and disregard for oneself and the planet is at the core of the fashion catastrophe. “There are more slaves today than at any point in history,” states Ben Skinner of Tau Investment. “And guess what, we’re buying what they’re producing.” From the mud, beauty is emerging, though. What I had felt subconsciously for a while rang true when pronounced: New luxury is value-based. “Not everybody wants to be the next Valentino,” Sass Brown of EcoFashion Talk says. “There’s a shift in what people value in their lives.” And make no mistake, doing good and doing well can be a stylish pair.

Since we get dressed (most) every day, every fresh sunrise presents the opportunity to feel good and make a choice. Personally, I find it funny that while all of my food choices and beauty care are organic, green, and glorious, my wardrobe isn’t. There’s a lag in the fashion industry regarding sustainability, style, and availability. We’re getting there, for sure, but it’ll take more than my desire to see organic cotton tees become part of the permanent collections at global chains. If you demand quality, you’ll create a bigger market for quality products. And wouldn’t you treasure one well-made piece way more than three throw-away things? (Your closet will thank you too).

During the panel on Earth Day I got to meet Andrew Morgan, the immensely kind and smart director of The True Cost. His documentary, which debuts in NYC on 5/28 and will be available globally the next day, highlights the blinding contrast between the tricky triangle of the glamorous fashion set, the reality of the garment workers, and the fashion clients who (for the most part) really are consumers at this point. The movie’s not a downer trying to induce pity and guilt; rather, The True Cost intends to draw attention to the current practices of the fashion industry so that we as creators and clients can bring about positive change. Executive-produced by Livia and Colin Firth and spear-headed by Andrew and his team, this clear-eyed documentary inspires us to take a closer look at what we wear. “Maybe the whole story line of clothing needs to be reinvented,” Morgan shares. “We have to take this story,” he continues, “and have to make it something that overwhelms the old story. A story so much more beautiful that it crushes the old story.” Find the movie trailer at the end of this post.

What’s the true cost of the clothes produced thousands of miles away from us? What’s the true cost of skins we didn’t need to take, of crops that didn’t grow naturally, dyed with chemicals that poison our water, touched by hands whose lives are shadows of humanity? What’s the true cost of cheap, mass-market fashion? Also, what’s the true cost of designer fashion? The fact that it’s sold for a lot doesn’t mean it cost a lot to make.

The True Cost has the potential to lead us full circle to Earth Day, every day. And the fashion industry could actually become a guardian of the environment, if we as clients vote for change with our dollars. Go watch the movie and let yourself be moved. Sometimes, it’s easier to create change as part of a group than shift patterns in the nitty-gritty of our personal lives. But you know how it goes: once one thing changes, everything changes. From macro to micro; from micro to macro. You have so much more power than you sometimes think. Go change and be part of the change. It’s good for your health, too (and makes you look hot).

Ten years from now, we’ll look back at who we were and what we wore, and we’ll be glad we made the decision to call all of our power back to us. We can take pleasure in fashion and love the earth and all her beings at the same time because true style is priceless.

Shift shopping from medication to mindfulness.
Conscious clients rule.
Shop better. Love more.
New luxury is value-based.
Doing good and doing well can be a stylish pair.

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My husband and I are very lucky — my husband teaches school and I am a stay-at-home mom, which means that we are both currently doing exactly what we want to do. Like I said, we are very lucky indeed.

But around this time of year we notice (to put it delicately) that we aren’t as well off financially as we would have been if we had chosen other career paths. And that makes it difficult to buy gifts for others.

Which means year after year we make a pact with each other not to spend any money on ourselves (so that we will have funds to spend on our kids and other family members). But this pact hasn’t stopped us from finding a way to have something to give each other on Christmas morning.

And after 16 years of marriage, I feel that our holiday financial situation may have been a blessing in disguise… we’ve been forced to think about each other and what is most important. Sure, one of these years I’d love to have iPads, televisions, bikes, and the like under the tree, but I can say without any reservation that even though we don’t have money, I have never gone to bed on Christmas night feeling poor.

So this year as I’ve been thinking gift giving, I thought maybe I would share with you some of the gifts that we’ve given to our kids, our family members, and each other. Because when I reflect on my most favorite gifts, they are the ones that have cost virtually nothing.

The following list is a collection of some of my favorites:

1. The Board Game Challenge.

Have a board game lover at your house? (Like my 10-year-old?) Well, print them out one of these cards and slip it in an envelope. Then together, after the envelope has been opened, fill out the five board (or card) games that you will be playing with each other and get started! You won’t regret it… unless of course you get schooled by your 10-year-old!

2. Memorize a Favorite Passage.

This may take some time and some sneakiness. Step one… find out the favorite written passage of your loved one. Is it a scripture? A sonnet? A monologue? Or a paragraph from a beloved book? Got it? Good. Now it’s time for step two, which is: memorize!

With memorization complete, all that’s left is step three: the delivery. (When I did this, my husband opened a box that only held a piece of paper with a reference to the passage written on it. When he questioned what it was, I told him… and to this day he will say it was one of his favorite gifts of all time. He even still has that piece of paper hanging on the wall in his office.)

3. Housekeeping Card.

Does your spouse, roommate, or significant other have a household chore that they just hate to do? Taking out the garbage? Scrubbing toilets? Sorting laundry? If so, this is a great gift. Give them a card, letter, or note explaining that you will take over that job for them for a certain period of time.

WARNING: Be specific about this gift… If you say you are going to do their chore, then you really need to do it, so let them know exactly what you are going to do and how long you are prepared to do it. For a day? A week? A month? Let them know what to expect from you and then don’t offer more than you can deliver. This will make both you and the recipient of the gift happy campers.

4. _____ of the Month Club.

What is your speciality? Soup? Bread? Cookies? Casseroles? Whatever it is, you should share it with someone who would appreciate it! A grandparent, an aunt or a neighbor… Just print out the card and you are good to go! Then the recipient of your gift not only gets something delicious once a month, but they also get a visit from you. (Which will probably be just as appreciated as your tasty vittles are!) So go ahead and do it! Make someone you love an official member of your salsa (or cake or chicken dish) of the month club! The possibilities here are endless…

5. When Skies Are Gray…

Is there someone on your list this year who is going through a hard time? If so, maybe a “When Skies Are Gray” Kit could help. All you need to include in this kit is a bundle of letters or images that you put together into different envelopes. What kind of letters and images? Well, things to help get them through a rotten day… maybe a funny “remember when” story… or an “I love you because” letter… or a “10 Reasons Why You Are Awesome” note. Other things you can include in the envelopes are quotes or thoughts that help you through tough times as well as some photos of good times together. Put something different in each envelope.

Try to gather together a small bundle (10-15 envelopes) and then tie them up with a bow. It’s surprising how something as simple as an “I’m lucky to have you in my life because…” can help you through a tough day.

6. A Tell-Me Notebook.

This is a gift that I have given to my grandparents and love! All you need is a simple notebook. (I gave my grandparents these spiral bound notebooks because I wanted them to just sit down and write whatever came into their minds and not worry about handwriting or doing anything fancy in a nice book.)

Now of course you don’t just give someone an empty notebook… you need to fill the book with questions (I did one every three pages so there was plenty of room to write if needed).

The questions will vary depending on who you are giving the notebook to. The questions I asked my grandparents were like: “Tell me about your first house.” “Tell me about something you are proud of.” “What do you remember most about your mother?” “Tell me about three memorable friends.”

Think about what you want to know from the person you are giving the gift to… and then be prepared for some really terrific conversations.

7. Daily reading date.

Our kids read every day… but that doesn’t mean that I read out loud to them every day. Recently, as I was reading aloud to the 3-year-old, I noticed that my older two had gathered around to listen to the story. When I asked them what was going on, I was surprised to discover that they said they miss me reading out loud to them. That is when I thought about this card.

Each one of my kids is going to get one this year. The triangles will count as the punches on the card, which makes the card above a 20-punch card. Then I will have the kids redeem them when they want me to read one of their chapters out loud to them, or just feel like reading a picture book together.

8. 50 Things I Learned By…

Is there someone on your list who is reaching a milestone? Turning 40? Celebrating 30 years together? Then making them something like this is perfect. When my mom turned 50, I made her a framed sign that told her the 50 things I learned from her by the time she turned 50.

Later, when my grandparents turned 80, I made them these books with simple illustrations on card stock sharing the ways they influenced my life and what I’ve learned from them. These gifts have been some of my most favorite to make, and are wonderful for anyone who has helped to shape your life.

9. Magic Car Wash.

This gift may have to be given before Christmas… because for this gift you will need to have access to the recipient’s vehicle. I usually do this while my husband is at work. I drive over to his school, take his truck, zoom over to the gas station and give it the once-over, quickly cleaning it inside and out, and then return it to its space before he even knows it was gone. When he leaves work, he finds a clean vehicle and a note on the dashboard.

10. Freedom From Responsibility (a.k.a. “I Will Take the Kids for the Night”).

Sometimes what one really needs is just some quiet time alone. We all love our children and our homes, but sometimes we need a break with time to ourselves to regroup. If that’s the case with anyone on your list, then one of the best gifts you can give is to take his or her responsibilities away for a few hours and let them recharge their batteries.

Do this by giving a card, letter, or note tied up with a bow. Then, once the gift has been given, decide right then and there when the gift will be redeemed… pick a day and a time right away! (And then stick to it! The gift is meaningless unless you follow through!)

11. Read This When…

This gift is perfect for college students who are away from home. For this gift, you will be writing a number of short letters, putting them in separate envelopes and then labeling the envelopes with when they should be read. The topics of the letters you write will depend on the relationship you have with your college student, but some ideas for these letters are: Read this when: you fail a test, you have a terrible date, you’ve had a rotten day, you feel homesick, you think you are in love, etc. Seal each letter and tie the bundle up with a bow.

12. A Personalized Playlist.

Think back to junior high, when we made those awesome mixtapes for each other… you know, on cassettes… that was pretty cool. And you knew that your friend chose those songs because she knows you so well or that guy chose those songs because he was secretly trying to let you know how much he was madly in love with you? Well… how great would it be to get one of those tapes again?

Nowadays we can either burn a CD or download a personalized playlist for that friend, sibling, or special someone. Maybe a list of songs for a sibling from back in the day, a woman power list for a good friend who needs a pick-me-up to and from work — or my husband made a running playlist for me that I love. Be creative!

13. Park Tour Permit.

Find five local parks and tour each one. (Not all in the same day!) Have your children compare slides, big toys, open space, etc., and decide which park is the best.

14. Netflix Night Punch Card.

I’m not sure an explanation is needed here… and my husband has already asked for another one of these this year.

15. A month of meals.

This gift takes a little bit of prior planning, but it is so worth it, and I have given this gift to both my parents and in-laws for Christmas several times.

To make a month’s (or a few weeks’) worth of meals, I choose meals that freeze well and then for the next few weeks that is what I make my family for dinner. As I am preparing these dinners, I just make extra… as long as I’m already cooking… and when the meal is finished, I freeze the extra portion and before I know it I have quite a collection of meals that I can take to my working parents and in-laws.

16. “I Love You” Now and Later Letters.

Simply choose the recipient of your gift and then write them two letters about why you love them. Write one for them to read now, and then write one to be read later on a date you determine… in a year… five years… Just be sure to write “Do not open until____” on the front of the letter to be opened later!

17. Favorite Recipes Pack.

My mom gave me these recipe cards a few years ago, and I love them! She put together a collection of recipes we grew up eating. Everything from my grandma’s cookies, to my uncle’s BBQ sauce, to her homemade rolls. They are the recipes from my childhood, and I am so happy to have them!

18. A Personalized Screen Saver.

One year my husband made me some personalized screen savers and snuck them onto my computer. Then every time they popped up on my computer it reminded me of him. Nerdy? Yes. Completely! But I LOVED it!

19. Remember This Book.

For our second married Christmas, I had a blank book that I filled with short written memories of things my husband and I had done. It was nothing fancy. It wasn’t scrapbooked. There are no pictures. Just short stories, inside jokes, and song lyrics. And it’s a favorite… we laugh every time we read it.

20. Time Capsule Kit.

I have made time capsules with school classes many times, but this year we are doing it with our children. What they will get is an empty box (I know it sounds like a practical joke…) with a sheet explaining what a time capsule is.

Then, on New Year’s Day, we will fill the box together, with things like predictions, favorite candy wrappers, newspaper clippings, photos, notes, and whatever else the kids want to include. When it is filled, we will wrap it in duct tape and write on the outside the date it can be opened again.

Police officer Dan Fallon knows the streets, but he’s a rookie at romance, and still very much in the closet. He thinks sexy fitness instructor Isaac is way out of his league, until a dangerous situation breaks the ice between them.Isaac Weiss has spent years trying to get his life back together after a series of terrible mistakes. The last thing he should be doing is trying to have a relationship with a cop, especially with his past. Too bad he’s unable to resist sweet, shy Dan.It’s not long though, before the secrets both men are keeping rise to the surface and threaten to destroy the fragile connection they’ve forged with one another. Can Dan and Isaac find acceptance or will the cost of secrets be too high?

From beachside nuptials to extravagant floral arrangements, it’s no shocker that weddings can cost a pretty penny. Just how much, though, may surprise you. According to wedding planning website TheKnot, the average cost of a wedding in America last year was roughly the price of a new car, or about $ 30,000 (excluding the honeymoon).

For its annual Real Weddings Study, released March 27, TheKnot surveyed 13,000 brides and grooms across the country and sourced statistics on everything from “location fees” to tuxedo costs. It found that tying the knot just keeps growing more expensive, despite the trend for casual weddings. The average wedding cost in 2013 was the highest since the website began monitoring prices in 2007.

One cause may be couples’ greater attention to guest experience.

“Couples are more focused than ever on creating a unique, personalized and once-in-a-lifetime experience for their guests — plus they’re doing so in a modern way, by planning from their smartphones, publicizing details on social media and more,” Carley Roney, co-founder of The Knot, said in a statement.

“We’ve created this fairy tale thought in our mind of what our wedding has to be, and it has to be perfect,” Stacy Francis, the CEO of financial planning and wealth management firm Francis Financial, told USA Today.

The survey of TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com members revealed some other interesting data about modern weddings:

Most expensive place to wed: Manhattan, $ 86,916 on average

Average marrying age: bride, 29; groom, 31

Wedding dress cost: New York City (and Long Island) brides spent the most money on their gowns ($ 3,027 and $ 2,160, respectively), while brides in Alaska and Oklahoma spent far less ($ 804 and $ 859, respectively)

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